1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to portable fireplaces and, more particularly, to portable, outdoor fireplaces.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The entertaining of friends, guests, and families in the home is becoming more and more informal. Thus, formal dinners, cocktail parties, and the like are being eschewed in favor of casual entertaining on decks, patios, and the like. This tendency toward more casual entertaining is reflected in the rapid increase in the number of what might be called xe2x80x9coutdoor kitchens,xe2x80x9d some of which are quite elaborate and can include grills, ovens, rotisseries, and, in certain cases, fireplaces.
For the most part, indoor fireplaces serve more of an aesthetic than a functional purpose and, because of the ambience they create, often serve as a focal point of any indoor gathering of family and/or guests. Likewise, an outdoor fireplace erected on a patio, deck, or the like serves as a focal point for outdoor gatherings.
It is known to erect a permanent outdoor fireplace using firebrick or a steel housing to form a firebox, which generally opens the top. Generally, the top edge of the firebox and its outer, peripheral surface are veneered with more decorative materials, such as natural or artificial stone. However, such permanently constructed fireplaces must be custom built and, accordingly, are expensive. Moreover, they cannot be moved, which severely limits one""s ability to rearrange the outdoor setting to suit one""s changing tastes. Accordingly, a portable fireplace that could be readily shipped and moved from location to location with a minimum amount of difficulty is clearly desirable.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a portable fireplace.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a portable fireplace that can utilize wood or is gas-fired.
Still a further object of the present invention is to provide a portable fireplace that is both functional and aesthetically pleasing.
Yet a further object of the present invention is to provide a portable fireplace that can be made from a variety of decorative materials.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a portable fireplace in which the external appearance of at least a portion of the fireplace can be easily varied.
The above and other objects of the present invention will become apparent from the drawings, the description given herein, and the appended claims.
The portable fireplace of the present invention comprises an inner housing having an upper end, a lower end, and an inner housing wall having an inner wall surface and an outer wall surface, the inner housing defining a flame pit. There is an outer housing having an upper end, a lower end, and an outer housing wall having an inner wall surface and an outer wall surface, the outer housing preferably being interconnected and in surrounding relationship to the inner housing, the majority of the outer wall surface of the inner housing wall being spaced from the inner wall surface of the outer housing wall. A support is disposed in the flame pit for supporting a flame presentation substance.